Quebec Dessert Maker's License Suspended Over Safety Lapses

Abe's Frozen Desserts, a Terrebonne-based producer of kosher and dairy-free ice cream and ice pops sold across Quebec supermarkets, has had its food production licenses suspended by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency following a May 8 inspection.

The CFIA found multiple serious failures: inadequate pasteurization controls, flawed preventive control plans, faulty hazard analysis, sanitation lapses, and failures in sampling for Listeria monocytogenes—the pathogenic bacterium that can cause severe foodborne illness. Equipment maintenance and record-keeping also fell short of federal standards. No recall has been issued as of now, but the suspension means all production under those two licenses must stop immediately.

Abe's specializes in frozen desserts marketed as kosher and dairy-free, products that appeal to specific dietary and religious communities. Its ice cream and ice pops have been stocked in major supermarket chains throughout the province. The brand's website now displays only a holding message—"something cool is coming soon"—with social media silent since September.

The suspension will lift once Abe's demonstrates corrective measures have been taken. They have 90 days to comply. If corrective action isn't completed within that window, the CFIA can cancel the license entirely. Other grounds in Section 39 of the regulations also allow for license cancellation.

For consumers who've bought Abe's products, the suspension is a reminder that food safety inspections catch failures before they hit shelves. For the company, this is a complete production halt until compliance is proven. The timeline and scope of failures suggest systemic rather than minor issues—getting back to production will take more than quick fixes.